Apparatus for straightening billiard cues



Jan; 29 Y19.24. y 1,482,136

. f J. MAGONO VAPPARATUSYFOR STRAIGHTENING BILLIARD CUES Filed March 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l L-overeZ/oi: Jcra W wif@- Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,136

J. MAGONOl A APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING BILLIARD CUES Filed March 24. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan, Z9, i924.

UNITED rss 4Pari-:NT orifice.

JOHN MAeoNo, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS ron STB-AIGHTENING BrLLrAnD oUEs.

Appiieation mea Mai-C11 24.19231 sel-iai No. 627,305.

To all fic/tom t may concern:

Be it kno-wn kthat I, JOHN MAGoNo, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Cominonwealth of Massachusettghave invented up a cue steaming chamber andA a test surface. i

Another object of the invention is to produce a cue straightening machine having a plurality of rolls which may be driven in one direction or the other and which have pressure rolls coacting there-'with and adapted to automatically adjust themselves to the various diameters of a cue as itpasses betw en the sets of rolls. f

Heretofore to great extent the straightening of cues has been done in a haphazard and unsatisfactory manner by hand` which process consisted of first steaming the cues and bending them over the edge of a work bench or table, the point of `contact therewith being between the hands, which rubbed the cue across the said edge and at the same time applied downward pressure.

As it was not possible to at all times gauge the pressure thus applied, accurate and rapid straightening of a cue was adiiiicult feat, and cue breakage often resulted from the application of too much pressure. l

The present invention consists iii providing a cue steaming chamber, a cuetesting surface and cue straighteningmechanism closely ,associated and portably arranged, of simple structure and high efficiency.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement ofparts which will be fully understood from a description of the drawings and the claims herewith annexed.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents in side elevation one form of the present invention showing a cue 1n the steaming chamber and a Cue in place about to be operated upon for the purpose of straightening. i

- Figure 2 a detail to be referred to.

Figure 3 an enlarged end view looking toward the right, Figure 1, certain portion being broken away or omitted for clearness.

i Figure 4 `ure 3. i a

Figure 5 a section on the line 5-5 Figure l.

l Like characters represent like parts throughout the several figures of the draw-I ings. Referring to the drawings: For convenience Sake the apparatus here- -with is shown as mounted on a tablelO, and

preferably so, and consists of a steam box 11 having a plurality of holes=12 at one end thereof, the said holes being normally closed by means of flexible material 13 which may be rubber and slitted as at 14 to `allow for the passage of a cue into the said chamber. t AS a cue is inserted in a hole 12 it will be supported in the box by a perforated gutter-like shelf 15 and subjected to the lim- -bering action of steam admitted to the said `'a section on the line 4 4: Fig-A box bythe pipe 16, pipe 17 being an exit Y for the steam and serving as a drain for the `said box.` i

1S of the said box presents a The cover smooth fiat top Surface upon which the cues are laid to determine the location of curves lor bends in the cues before passing them turn is in mesh with a gear 27 fast on the shaft 20. y

, A crank 2S also fast on shaft 21 being the means, in the present device, to impart rotation to the said shafts 20, and 21, in the required direction.

It will be understood however that if nec-i essai-y the said shaft 21`inight be driven from any other Suitable source. Fast on each shaft 20 and 21 is a grooved wheel 29 which receives and forms a rolling support for the cue during the longitudinal movements thereof.

The shaft 24 journalled inthe boxes 23, which are vertically slidable. inthe slots 22 of the frame 19, has loose thereon a tiltable lever 30 at each end of which is revolubly mounted a grooved wheel 31 preferably of the same size and Shape asthe wheels 29.

Also loose on the shaft 24 is a yoke 32 having` a rod 33 attached thereto and leading to a treadlc 34, said treadle being nor-V mally held in elevated position by the spring 85 which by reason of the rod connection with the shaft 24 normally retains the rolls 31 suticiently elevated above the rolls 29 to allow a cue to be positioned therebetween.

Figure lshows a cue in position to be straightened' with the rolls 31 in close contact therewith and the cue otherwise Supported and guided by the roll support 36, which may be adjustable toward and Vfrom the frame 19, and which is grooved similarly to the wheels 29 and 31.

The cue to be straightened ispreferably inserted between the said Vrolls 29 and 31 with the curve or bend uppermost in such manner that the transverse high part of the curve or bend would be above and vertical with relation to the point or points of contact of the cue and the rolls 29.

Prior to inserting `the cue as just eX- plained, the location of the curve or bend will be determined by laying the cue upon the test surface 18 and rolling it one way or another, which action may take place from time to time as the straightening processv advances. i

Viewing Figure 1 the cue will be. gripped at the butt thereof by one hand and the crank 28 by the other, and one foot will be placed on the treadle 34 and the required pressure applied thereto to compel the cue to snugly contact with all the grooved wheels. Y

The crank 28 will now be turned to feed the cue between the rolls 29 and 31 iirst in one direction and then the other, which action in conjunction with the roll 36 rapidly works the curvature or bend out of the cue with a degree of nicetyland permanence vnot attainable by the previous hand method.

Owing to the constant change in diameter of the cue the rolls 31 are mounted on the pivoted lever 30 which i-s also vertically movable under the action of the treadle 34 when pressure is to be applied and under the action of the spring 35 when it is deslred to inse-rt or withdraw a eue. j

Having described the invention I claim:

1. In a machine for straightening cues and t-he like, a frame adapted to support a plurality of positively driven grooved cue supporting wheels; means to drive said wheels; a plurality of pressure wheels adapted to coact with said supporting wheels, said pressure wheels being arranged to automati cally adjust themselves to the various diameters of a cue duri-ng its movements between said supporting and pressure rolls; means to apply pressure to a cue through said pressure rolls; and a supporting wheel adapted to be adjusted toward and from said frame.

2. In a machine for straightening cues, a pair of positively driven cue supporting rolls; means to drive said supporting rolls; a pair of tiltable and vertically movable pressure rolls;- means to cause said pressure rolls to exert pressure; and a complemental support adjustable toward and from said supporting rolls.

3. In a machine for straightening cues, a frame; a plurality of cue supporting rolls mounted in said frame; a gear train adapted to simultaneously drive said supporting rolls in one direction or another; means to drive said gear train; pressure rolls adapted to coact with said supporting rolls to feed a cue between the two sets of rolls; said pressure rolls being mounted on a tiltable lever; means to cause said lever and pressure rolls to move vertically; and a cue support adapted to be adjusted toward and from said supporting rolls. i

4. In a cue straightening machine, a frame adapted to support a pair of grooved cue supporting rolls; a pair of grooved cue supporting rolls each of which is fast toa shaft journalled in said frame; a gear fast on each of said shafts; an idle gear meshing with both of said gears; a crank on one of said shafts adapted'to actuate said grooved supporting rolls; a pair of pressure rolls adapted to be vertically movable and mountedeon a tiltable lever; a pivot for said lever; j ou-rnalis for said pivot, said journals being guided in slots formed in said frame; a yoke loosely mounted on said pivotV and having connection with a treadle; a spring to normally retain said pressure rolls and treadle in elevated position; and a cue support adapted to be adjustably movable toward and from said supporting rolls.

Signed-by me at Boston, Mass., this 22 day of March, 1923.

.roi-1N Masone. 

